Barcelona and Napoli legend Diego Maradona once claimed that one English star was better than 2007 Ballon d'Or winner Kaka - the same year the Brazilian picked up the famous award. Kaka was undoubtedly one of the best players on the planet when he claimed the Golden Ball in 2007, having inspired AC Milan to the Champions League title, exacting revenge on Liverpool two years after their historic matchup in Istanbul.
Kaka remains the last Brazilian to have lifted the Ballon d'Or, but as is so often the case with a subjective award, some - Maradona included - didn't believe that entitled the player to the moniker of the best in the world. Instead, the Argentine named a Three Lions star who he felt was even better.
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Maradona Claimed Wayne Rooney Was Better Than Ballon d'Or Winning Kaka
The Argentine gave some major praise to the budding Manchester United star
Speaking to Argentine sports outlet El Grafico – as per Sky Sports – Maradona stated that Manchester United star Wayne Rooney was a better player than Kaka at the time he won the prestigious Ballon d'Or. At the time, Rooney was only 22 years old, but he would go on to win his first Champions League title that very season.
Addressing the matter, Maradona stated:
"I don't know too well how the election is done but I think that Rooney is better than Kaka. Milan is a team that depends all the time on Kaka but that doesn't make him the best player in the world."
Interestingly enough, Rooney and Kaka had actually faced off against each other in 2007 prior to the Brazilian claiming the award.
Manchester United were drawn against AC Milan in the Champions League semi-final, with the first leg taking place at Old Trafford. Both players scored twice on the night, with Kaka's second the pick of the bunch as he sent defenders Gabriel Heinze and Patrice Evra colliding into one another before slotting past Edwin van der Sar.
It would be Rooney who had the last laugh that evening, with his brace secured through a stoppage-time winner that gave United a first-leg lead.
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Milan would dominate in the second leg at the San Siro, though, with Kaka also opening the scoring en route to a 3-0 triumph that sent the Italians through to the final.